1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as an MFP (Multi-Function Peripherals), which is a digital complex machine, or a copying machine and a control method thereof. The image forming apparatus and the control method have a function of detecting a computer virus and make it possible to execute service tasks of the image forming apparatus even during a search for a computer virus. In the following explanation, the computer virus is simply referred to as virus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, among image forming apparatuses such as an MFP and a copying machine, there are image forming apparatuses that have plural functions such as a copy function and a scan function. In such image forming apparatuses of a complex type, when image data is copied on plural sheets or scanned, the image data is temporarily stored in a storage device such as an HDD, read out from this storage device, and outputted by a printer.
In some cases, the MFP and a PC (Personal Computer) are connected by a network, image data created by the PC is printed by the MFP, and image data scanned and read by the MFP is transmitted to the PC.
Apparatuses connected by a network, for example, a PC are always exposed to the danger of infection by viruses. When the apparatuses are infected by a virus, it is likely that data stored in a storage device such as an HDD is erased or manipulated and, moreover, line abnormality of the network, an attack to other network apparatuses, and the like are caused.
The virus usually intrudes into the HDD and acts. Therefore, software for detecting and eliminating the virus is used to find the virus that has intruded into the HDD. As virus searches, there are a real-time search for watching viruses as occasion demands, a manual search in which a user carries out a virus search through a specific folder (or an entire drive) on the HDD when the user wishes to do so, a reserved search for automatically carrying out a virus search at time set by a user, and the like.
It is also likely that the MFP connected to the network is infected with a virus. When a virus search program is applied to the MFP and a virus search is carried out, since a large amount of access to an HDD is performed, response speed falls by a great degree. As a result, performance of services involving access to the HDD such as a copying operation, a scanning operation, a network printer operation, and a box printing is deteriorated.
In JP-A-2005-229611, a multi-function peripheral having an anti-virus function is described. In this example, when detection of a virus is performed and a virus is found, data infected with the virus is remedied, isolated, or erased.
However, in the example described above, when the virus search is carried out, performance of services involving access to the HDD such as a copying operation, a scanning operation, and a network printer operation is deteriorated.
The present invention provides an image forming apparatus and a control method thereof that do not deteriorate services of the image forming apparatus itself even during execution of a virus search.